Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Why the White Milk in Your Fridge is Actually Red

I knew we were close, the strong stench of ammonia, all too familiar now, couldn’t escape me. The long road filled with waste, muck and grime, made its way to concrete structures with stacks of hay. As I opened the iron link door, I saw once again, what I can at best call, a heap of animals. One atop the other- diseased, sick and starved.

Without an inch of space to move.

But what got me was their eyes – the resignation, the abandonment – the utter lack of hope. I knew then that these babies would never see sunlight- well, not until the day they would die.

Undercover Investigator

Dear friend,

This is the ugly truth of milk producing dairies that finally lies exposed in front of us.

FIAPO’s recent undercover investigation,The State of Dairy Cattle- Rajasthan brings to the fore radical revelations of inhumane and torturous conditions of dairy cattle across the state.

The data revealed lifts any curtain off the dark side of dairies and the dire need for urgent policy change is now apparent. Here are some startling facts from the report

• 57.45% dairy owners did not provide any form of veterinary assistance to their cattle, resulting in presence of life threatening and neglected wounds, infections and tumours.

• Indiscriminate use of hormones for increased milk production, though illegal, is rampant and found in almost all dairies investigated.

• 87% of cattle are kept tied all the time in unhealthy and unhygienic conditions in a dairy, covered in their own excreta, and often suffering from injuries and fractures.

We refuse to let this suffering go unnoticed any longer. We are demanding policy reform through adherence to minimum standards reflecting in our Dairy Code and immediate relief to cattle in dairies by implementation of existing laws. For this, we have written to the Ministry Of Agriculture – Rajasthan, released our investigation findings to the media, and are working with various departments to bring about this change.

Join our Campaign by signing our petition asking the Ministry of Agriculture, Rajasthan toEnd Intensive Dairies and start an era of compassion for these gentle giants.